Many farms are losing money on every pint they sell. But before a debate can be had over blame, it is important to understand the economics

JOHN ROBERTS reaches in toward the cow’s teat, suction nozzle in hand, then
suddenly ducks backward. He knows what is coming — time to get out of the
splash zone. Within seconds a cascade of urine is pounding onto the concrete
floor of the milking pit.

The sunken galley in which Roberts works puts him at udder level with two
dozen black and white Holstein cows, so the 28- year-old farmhand keeps his
eyes peeled. “They keep me pretty busy,” he jokes.

The toilet break over, Roberts flies back into action, yanking nozzles that
hang from the ceiling like a great tangle of yellow vines and fastening them
to bulging udders.

It takes about two hours to milk the 250 cows. It’s 4pm — at 3.30am he will
get up to do it all again.

It is tough, unrelenting work. And in Britain, it is slowly dying out.